The Directing Program offers opportunities to assistant direct and/or to observe rehearsal processes at professional Chicago theaters throughout their course of study.  Students may accept as many of these opportunities as their course demands and campus productions allow, and faculty will work with the student to match them with projects that are exciting and suitable to their interests and goals.

Students in the third year of study also have the opportunity to spend one quarter of their residency working with a professional theatre or observing a particular artist or company, as driven by their interests. The specific parameters and responsibilities of this internship are developed in consultation with the organization and the student in advance of the quarter in which the internship is to be scheduled.

In addition, Students are eligible for a research grant in their third year, which may be used to research a particular project, an area of interest pertaining to the thesis, or a company in which the student is interested. Research grant recipients must be in good academic standing and obtain approval of the core faculty before use of the funding is approved.